#emo history

[leavesareturning]

me: “i don’t know why i have so much trouble making friends”

also me on the first hangout:

“cartoon network. my chemical romance. twilight. fifty shades of grey. new jersey. 9/11.”

and you’re probably sitting there thinking:

what the fuck do these things have to do with each other?

or:

what the hell is this autistic lesbian talking about?

so allow me to explain:

“it all started on september 11th, 2001, when a comic writer from newark, new jersey was interning for cartoon network in new york city—

—uhhh wait actually can we just skip to the part where we listen to the song the comic writer from new jersey made after watching the towers go down?”

it’s called “skylines and turnstiles” and it just so happened to be the first my chemical romance song.

oh shit i forgot to mention the relevance of aqua teen hunger force

[emo-enora-elk]

Why do people use terms like "1st wave emo"?

It is a term used to describe the general sound of emo during a certain time, the term also isn't exclusive to emo! 1st wave etc is also a term very often used in punk, goth and metal culture.

Emo has 5 waves (but the first 3 are the main ones). Emo has been around since the 1980s, starting with bands like beefeater and rites of spring, which were punk bands!

Emo came from punk and hardcore (which in itself came from punk) and then evolved into different sounds and subcultures over time.

1st wave emo is extremely punk based, 2nd wave is when mathrock became a big part of emo culture and developed a more midwest emo sound with bands like lifetime and braid.

3rd wave emo is your more pop punk sounding band.

Think of 3rd wave as progressive emo incorporating sounds from all over the scene. This is why 3rd wave emo bands don't have a definite sound.

3rd wave emo is also extremely interchangeable with being around the time emo became commercialised and went from an underground local scene (mirroring it's punk roots) for hardcore kids to the pop punk mcr affiliated community it is now.

Bands like Jimmy Eat World and later on mcr helped move emo from basements to MySpace. It is important to remember that commercialised emo often contains music that doesn't fit into the actual genre of emo.

Bands like panic at the disco bearing emo titles, yet the music is extremely far from the genre.

The whole topic and discussion of emos waves is extremely interesting and really shows how alternative music evolved.

Before emo commercialisation, there wasn't a look being sold since no one was attempting to profit from emo, emo existed for kids to be able to come together and listen to music.

Emo kids used to just be hardcore kids and dressed in stereotypical nerdy chareotypes since there wasn't a fashion or style into white belt fashion that came into play and leaned into men's more feminine styling.

The waves of emo truly show what alternative music is and its purpose but also how it evolves and what causes change.

And this is only the tiniest bit of coverage on the topic :D

[xxdespairfactionashtonxx]

Theres gonna be an emo conference at a St Louis college next week and its gonna go all into the history of emo and emo songwriting and whatnot and Im really interested in going.

Idk if my scene style will give me weird looks in that environment or not. These are real deal emo historians and I wonder if they embrace third wave or reject it. I hear the drummer of American Football will be there on Friday. I would love to listen and add in some first hand accounts from my cousin who was the drummer of Die Kreuzen, a hardcore band that often played shows in the Midwest with early DC emocore bands, ESPECIALLY with Dag Nasty. They were all friends since before Minor Threat even broke up. Emocore was a rejected label by many DC hardcore bands and theres videos of Ian MacKaye famously mocking it. But I'm glad it happened. My look will probably throw them off but I really do love most eras of emo.

[101emo]

HELP!1! What do I do???

Emo history lesson time!

So, you’ve just learnt you want to become ‘emo’, or it could be a little angsty phase against your parents- who cares. We’ve all been there. The main thing you’re panicking on is- where the heck do I start?? Don’t worry, I got you :)

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Where did 'emo' come from? A better understanding into the backstory of the culture.

Emo was born from music in the 1980s- but became much more popular in the early 2000s, much like most subcultures. The Emo subculture deviated against the grain originally as a sub-genre of punk music. With its unique sound, confrontational sad lyrics and more complex arrangements compared to typical mainstream punk music. Emo music typically touched on deeper issues, addictions and suicidal ideations.

The word ‘Emo’ comes from the word 'emotional' or ‘emotive’. Again, in relation to the music that feeds into the heart of the subculture. The Emo subculture is generally associated with youth who are dispirited and angry with society, other people, or themselves- or just downright anarchists.

TLDR PLZ?.. Basically, Emo came from a music genre- bloomed in the early 2000s, and typically is associated with little angsty shits. Like you ;p

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Follow for more x Updates every week, Tuesday and Thursday. 6:30pm GMT +11.

[uss3llsgrl]

The History of Emo Subculture🖤

Origins in Punk and Hardcore (1980s)

Emo’s roots trace back to the mid-1980s in Washington, D.C., where hardcore punk bands began experimenting with more emotional and expressive lyrics. These early bands, like Rites of Spring and Embrace, laid the foundation for what would become known as “emo-core.” They combined the raw, aggressive energy of punk with more introspective, confessional lyrics that focused on personal pain, heartbreak, and emotional struggle.

1990s: Emo Gets Its Name

By the early '90s, bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, and Cap’n Jazz refined the sound, bringing in more melodic elements. The term "emo" began to be more commonly used, especially with the rise of the second wave of emo bands, who took the genre further by embracing a more polished, melodic, and sometimes melancholic sound. Emo was no longer just hardcore punk with emotional lyrics—it was a genre with its own unique identity

The Early 2000s: Emo Goes Mainstream

The 2000s marked the most mainstream exposure of emo, when the genre reached its peak in popularity. Bands like My Chemical Romance, Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, and Brand New brought emo into the spotlight. This period is often associated with the “emo” aesthetic: thick eyeliner, dark clothing, scene haircuts (often featuring swooping bangs and asymmetrical layers), and a strong reliance on emotional expression through fashion and style.

The 2010s: Emo’s Legacy and the Revival

While the height of the emo explosion faded by the mid-2010s, the subculture never truly disappeared. Its influence on pop-punk, post-hardcore, and alternative music is still very much alive today. New bands like The Maine, Neck Deep, and Waterparks keep the emo spirit alive while adding their own twist to the genre.

Let me know if I got something wrong x

[xanderisbraindead]

The Movement that Made Emo (Revolution Summer 1985)

[echoedvoice]

there was also this :P Fall Out Boy wasn’t part of it though. I didn’t go to this tour, but I had the poster in my school binder on top of another tour poster lol:

That was circa 9th grade I think? in 2009 right before FOB went on hiatus.

[open-your-heart-and-your-eyes]

Asking Alexandria tour promos from their Myspace account. 2010-

Asking Alexandria Myspace pt 2/ ???